Can TBI Cause Death?

Many people succumb to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Each year, approximately 56,000 people die from a TBI-related cause. Not all of these people die immediately. Those dying from the late effects of a TBI may live one to two years or more after the event causing the head injury.  

About 30 percent of all injury deaths result from TBI. Those who survive severe TBI are often permanently impaired. As the CDC notes, TBIs are a major cause of death and disability in this country.  

Those who survive TBIs find their lives changed forever. A Los Angeles traumatic brain injury lawyer at Ellis Injury Law holds the entity responsible for the TBI accountable so the accident victim or their family may receive the maximum compensation they deserve.  

Leading causes of TBI deaths 

A TBI usually occurs after the head suffers a serious impact. The leading causes of TBI deaths are: 

  • Falls 
  • Motor vehicle accidents 
  • Struck by object 
  • Homicide 

Risk factors vary by age group. Older people are more likely to die after a TBI. Falls were the leading cause of TBI deaths in those 65 or older. Motor vehicle collisions were responsible for the highest number of TBI deaths in those over 75 and between the ages of 15 and 34.  

Minor and moderate TBIs 

While people with severe TBIs are the most likely to die from their injury, individuals with moderate and even minor TBIs may lose their lives. Older people are at greater risk of dying after a moderate TBI than any other group. 

A person with a minor TBI, also known as a concussion, usually recovers within a few weeks. However, if that person suffers another concussion before the brain injury fully heals, known as a second-impact syndrome, the result is death. The brain swells rapidly before the earlier concussion’s effects have subsided. If the individual does manage to survive second-impact syndrome, they face a lifetime of severe disability.  

Wrongful death lawsuit  

In California, the decedent’s spouse, domestic partner, or children may file a wrongful death lawsuit. If the decedent did not leave these family members behind, parents, siblings, or anyone falling under the state’s laws of intestate succession may file a wrongful death lawsuit. The statute of limitations for filing such a lawsuit is two years from the death date, not the incident date.  

A traumatic brain injury attorney knows how the loss of your loved one has affected every aspect of your life. Damages, or compensation, in a wrongful death case may include: 

  • Medical expenses relating to the TBI 
  • Funeral and burial costs  
  • Financial support the decedent would have contributed to the family 
  • Value of household services the decedent would have provided.  
  • Loss of love, companionship, care, protection, training, and guidance 

Contact a Los Angeles traumatic brain injury lawyer 

If you lost a loved one to a TBI caused by another party’s negligence, contact the Los Angeles accident lawyers at Ellis Injury Law. We offer free, confidential consultations. Arrange an appointment by calling or texting 24/7 or completing our online form.  

All work is performed on a contingency basis. You pay no fee unless you receive compensation.